Manufacturing processes may employ fiber preforms. The preforms typically consist of sheets or mats of fibers. The mats are shaped into desired forms or inserted into molds as a matrix. Polymer materials are then infused into the matrix and the desired article is formed. The article is then hardened and removed from the mold.
Formation of the fiber preforms typically involves a complicated, expensive process with expensive equipment. One challenge lies in attempts to orient the fibers in a desired direction for better strength. Advances in printing technology may hold the answer to reducing the costs and complexity of the process while also allowing for better alignment of the fibers, but to date no such approach exists.